Because of the Israeli producer: calls for a boycott in the Arab world against "Spider-Man"
Campaigns in Lebanon and Jordan are calling to ban the new Marvel film due to the involvement of producer Avi Arad. The reason: his service in the IDF and his support for Israel. Despite the protests, demand at the box office remains at its peak.
The new film in the Spider-Man franchise, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day", is at the center of a political storm in the Middle East. Pro-Palestinian organizations in Lebanon, Jordan, and other Arab countries have launched a widespread call to boycott the film. The target of the boycott campaign is not the film's plot or the actors, but one of its senior producers — the Israeli-American businessman and producer Avi Arad.
Arad, former chairman of Marvel Studios and an IDF soldier who participated in the Six-Day War, serves as one of the film's senior producers. The leaders of the boycott campaign are focusing on his military background and on a public letter he published in 2024, in which he sharply criticized American Senator Chuck Schumer, who had criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and called for a ceasefire. Arad clarified in his letter that he is proud of his military service and rejected interference in Israel's policies.
Following Arad's positions, the "Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel" in Lebanon called not to purchase tickets for the film, claiming that financial support for the work of an Israel supporter constitutes "cultural normalization". At the same time, the Jordanian organization "Taharruk" called on the artists' union and the country's cinemas to remove the film from the screening schedule, and similar calls were distributed on social media in Arab countries.
Despite the efforts to lead a widespread boycott, the impact of the protest on the audience on the ground appears to be negligible. Representatives of cinema chains in Lebanon reported that demand for the film remains high and screenings are continuing as usual, which once again illustrates the gap between campaigns on social media and the reality at the box office.
